tes of painting and keruing, whereof one
represents the naturall by light colour and shadow in the superficiall or
flat, the other in body massife expressing the full and emptie, euen,
extant, rabbated, hollow, or whatsoeuer other figure and passion of
quantitie. So also the Alchimist counterfeits gold, siluer, and all other
mettals, the Lapidarie pearles and pretious stones by glasse and other
substances falsified, and sophisticate by arte. These men also be praised
for their craft, and their credit is nothing empayred, to say that their
conclusions and effects are very artificiall. Finally in another respect
arte is as it were an encountrer and contrary to nature, producing effects
neither like to hers, nor by participation with her operations, nor by
imitation of her paternes, but makes things and produceth effects
altogether strange and diuerse, & of such forme & qualitie (nature alwaies
supplying stuffe) as she neuer would nor could haue done of her selfe, as
the carpenter that builds a house, the ioyner that makes a table or a
bedstead, the tailor a garment, the Smith a locke or a key, and a number
of like, in which case the workman gaineth reputation by his arte, and
praise when it is best expressed & most apparant, & most studiously. Man
also in all his actions that be not altogether naturall, but are gotten by
study & discipline or exercise, as to daunce by measures, to sing by note,
to play on the lute, and such like, it is a praise to be said an
artificiall dauncer, singer, & player on instruments, because they be not
exactly knowne or done, but by rules & precepts or teaching of
schoolemasters. But in such actions as be so naturall & proper to man, as
he may become excellent therein without any arte or imitation at all,
(custome and exercise excepted, which are requisite to euery action not
numbred among the vitall or animal) and wherein nature should seeme to do
amisse, and man suffer reproch to be found destitute of them: in those to
shew himselfe rather artificiall then naturall, were no lesse to be
laughed at, then for one that can see well inough, to vse a paire of
spectacles, or not to heare but by a trunke put to his eare, nor feele
without a paire of ennealed glooues, which things in deed helpe an infirme
sence, but annoy the perfit, and therefore shewing a disabilitie naturall
mooue rather to scorne then commendation, and to pitie sooner then to
prayse. But what else is language and vtterance, and disc